I'm just starting to use Windows 7 and I want to know how to make my Outlook reminders pop up and show themselves prominently. They keep opening discreetly, as just another window in the Outlook stack on the taskbar. As a result, I keep overlooking them because they pop up behind everything else.

How do I make them less easy to overlook?

(Clearly, one usually doesn't want obnoxious apps that push themselves to the forefront. But there are a few places where such behavior is desirable, and Outlook calendar reminders are one of them.)

This is so necessary. If one falls into intense concentration it's very easy to miss a reminder and notice it buried under other windows only after you're late. It's ridiculous that it's not possible with some simple setting. What good is a reminder if you don't get it promptly?!
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MarioApr 17 '14 at 18:45

i noticed , sometimes (normally when you start Outlook) the first reminder will not stay on top. Once you click Dismiss and close the reminder all subsequent reminders stay on top. Dont know why.
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GulluAug 16 '12 at 19:58

1

Is the On Error Resume Next line necessary? Is there an alternative? As a programmer, the implications of that line make me cringe.
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Justin MorganOct 11 '12 at 15:42

The On Error Resume Next only applies to that Sub and just prevents the whole macro from crashing.. This is just standard VBA usage.
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Jeff MartinDec 11 '12 at 15:52

1

Thanks Gullu, this works very well! Just a side note: PtrSafe apparently isn't supported in Office 2007.
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mrtMar 18 '13 at 13:04

1

I had the same issue as Gullu indicated in his first comment. In order to work around that, I show a message box for the first reminder after restarting outlook (or my computer). Private messageAlreadyShown As Boolean Private Sub Application_Reminder(ByVal Item As Object) On Error Resume Next If Not messageAlreadyShown Then MsgBox "First Reminder", vbSystemModal, "" End If messageAlreadyShown = True ReminderWindow = FindWindowA(vbNullString, "1 Reminder") SetWindowPos ReminderWindow, HWND_TOPMOST, 0, 0, 0, 0, FLAGS End Sub
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helios456Feb 18 '14 at 12:55

I did find a third party solution. Actual Tools Actual Window Guard $30 (which is also included in their all encompassing product Actual Windows Manager $50) allows for assigning windows to always be on top. Plus its easy to turn the feature on and off. (note it does more than just that to help make the price tag easier to accept.) I found these when trying out virtual desktop & multi-monitor utility tools. I've been using the latter for a couple of months now and am very happy with it.
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Mark VedderAug 23 '13 at 12:51

If you change the "Taskbar buttons"
setting under the "Taskbar and Start
Menu Properties" to "Never combine,"
then the grouping separates and the
reminder pops-up in front of whatever
else you have open.

I tried to test it and found that it was inconsistent; one time it stayed hidden behind what I was working on, and another time it popped up front. In both cases there was an icon on the task bar that looked different from Outlook itself, so there was at least a chance that I would notice it.

I used Filebox eXtender and when the first reminder comes in I open it and click the new 'pin' icon at the top right of the caption bar. Then when the next reminder comes in, it comes in the foreground...